Rebecca E. Gagner

Rebecca ""Becky"" E. Gagner, age 97, of Litchfield, MN, died on Thursday June 12, 2014 at the Ecumen Emmanuel Home in Litchfield, MN. A celebration of Becky's life will be held at 5:00 PM on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield, MN with dinner to follow. Visitation will be held from 3-5 pm at church before the service. A private burial will be in Terrebonne, Minnesota on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. Rebecca (Becky) Gagner was born in Lambert Township near Oklee, MN, the daughter of Edward and Anna (Dery) Paquin on March 16, 1917. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Xavier Catholic Church and was one of five 1935 graduates of Oklee High School. After graduation, she worked at St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, then attended Teachers Training School in Thief River Falls. She taught in rural schools, living with student's families until her marriage to Leonard Gagner on June 28, 1939. The couple farmed near Terrebonne until 1970 when they moved to Crookston to operate the Rainbow Motel for four years. Becky was known to drop everything to chase for farm machinery parts for Leonard and to cook for large threshing crews. After raising her family, Becky taught kindergarten in Brooks and was a substitute teacher for Brooks, Mentor, Crookston Public Schools, Cathedral Catholic School, and University of MN Crookston. She belonged to Oklee, Crookston St. Anne and Cathedral parishes as well as Terrebonne serving on many committees and was a member of St. Philips Church of Litchfield and Daughters of Isabella. She was active in Mentor PTA, Modern Woodmen of America, secretary of Catholic Foresters, St. Anne's Society, Catholic Daughters and St. Theresa's Circle. In addition, she taught religion classes. She was a member of the Oklee Choir and director of the Terrebonne Choir, and sang the Terrebonne daily high mass alone. She moved to Emmaus Place in Litchfield in 2001, then to Emmanual Nursing Home in 2006 Becky loved sewing, her flower gardens, playing poker and bridge, entertaining and cooking for her more than one hundred nieces and nephews as well as family. Since Becky was 100% French, she was know for her fabulous french crepes with su'ca creme and syrup pie. She loved picking dandelions & choke cherries for making her famous wines! She was always the perfect hostess! Leonard died on August 1, 1994. They enjoyed many winters in Arizona and danced every Saturday night during their fifty five years of marriage. She is survived by her daughters Carole Bordenkircher Kralicek, Minneapolis; Margaret Grabanski (Roy), Litchfield; son Blackie Landreville (Joyce), Ft Meyers; daughter-in-law Cheryl, Bismarck and Judy Landreville; sister Bernadette Paquin Gagner and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Paquin and Adeline Paquin. Grandchildren surviving, Jill Fitzpatrick (Mark), Paul Bordenkircher (CJ), Michelle Falling (Dustin), Heather Lederman (Eric), Marc Grabanski (Candace), Alan Landreville, Robin Landreville, Joshua (Heather) Gagner, Chelsea Gagner. And great-grandchildren, Kira, Claire, Dylan, Morgan, Laurence, Levi, Gellsia, Abby, Eva. Becky was preceded in death by her husband and son, Joseph (3.10.11), her parents, three sisters, Alice, Emma and Stella, and seven brothers, Vern, Adelore, Arthur, Aristide, Pete, Wallace, Ernest, son-in-laws Everett Bordenkircher & Eugene Kralicek.Previous Events Visitation Thursday, June 26, 2014 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Church of St. Philip 821 East 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355 Visitation Thursday, June 26, 2014 5:00 PM Church of St. Philip 821 East 5th street Litchfield, MN 55355